In 2011 when my next door neighbor and friend died unexpectedly it was a crushing blow. He was such a wonderful spirit; his wit and choice of words were amazing. I was really depressed. I spoke with my dear friend, Terry Tempest Williams, and she had some advice. She said, “Ed, use your art to heal yourself. Find a way to express your feelings about his death through your photography.”
So every day for about three months (it was summer) I’d go for a walk in the woods behind our house. On each walk I would collect a piece of grass, a flower in bloom or a dying plant. I’d bring it home and spend time figuring out how to make a photograph that captured the spirit of that living or dying thing. Below are a few of the images this quest inspired.
